An intrepid couple have recently returned to Redbourn after successfully cycling 5,000 miles across plateaux, boulder-strewn riverbeds and muddy tracks from Europe to China.
Tim and Rebecca Male’s adventure involved them pedalling across 11 countries in eight months, including rutted, unpaved cycle paths in Serbia, rutted fields in China and along mountain ranges.
They reached a maximum height of 4824m on the Tibetan Plateau, which they described as “quiet and remote”.
And while free-camping in Romania, they were barked at by wild dogs through the night.
Rebecca, a community nurse aged 31, said: “We wanted to go on an adventure and see a bit of the world before we settle down and have a family. I used to cycle around Redbourn – whizzing around the village and along the Nickey Line.”
A pleasing side-effect of the marathon ride was that both of the Males lost a stone.
Upon returning from Europe, she and Tim, a mechanical engineer aged 32, cycled to her parents’ home in Redbourn from Heathrow.
They said it was “heaven” to visit a local pub for their first cider and bitter in eight months. Rebecca added: “It was a great challenge but it is so nice to be back at home and out of our snow covered tent!“
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